Gençay property - no renovation required
Property for sale in Poitou-Charentes
Stone house with small house, pool, and over a hectare of land with a lake
EUR €280,900
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For buying and selling property in Gençay
If that sounds like the sort of intoxicating blend of all things French that make up your dream of the perfect place in France, then look no further than the little market town of Gençay, which lies in the beautiful countryside of the Vienne department of western France.
Gençay has only around one and half thousand inhabitants, yet sustains a lively weekly market and offers many amenities and an excellent standard of living. There is even an English run bookshop and teashop! Every Saturday is market day, and there are the usual range of fresh foods and crafts to be found on the gaily coloured stalls. Twice a month the town also hosts fairs, selling local specialities.
Gençay is probably best known for its lovely mediaeval castle, which can be visited by the public every day except Sundays. The tourist office can provide information. Gençay also has a very pretty floral park, and here you can not only revel in the glorious colours and shapes that nature provides, but also enjoy regular exhibitions and events.
The little town has a library, a cinema, a swimming pool and many sports facilities. If you want to wander a little further afield you can also find a leisure lake or two, where you can try your hand at water sports or fishing, a motor racing circuit for those who like a little excitement, and even a monkey park where you can see hundreds of monkeys in a lovely, natural environment. Add to all of this the truly glorious countryside of the Vienne, with its fields of yellow sunflowers, its gentle rivers and its stately chateaux, and you have a sure recipe for contentment.
Poitiers has an airport that offers regular flights to and from the UK with budget airline Ryanair, so it is both easy and cheap to travel to the town. Rail and road links are also good. If travelling by train, take the Eurostar to Paris, then change to a TGV to Poitiers. If travelling by car, take the D741 from Poitiers.
Gençay is a truly delightful place to live, or to spend holidays. The Vienne is generally a relatively inexpensive department, so even if you don't have a massive budget you have a chance of finding something to suit you here. Look out for traditional village houses, or perhaps country properties that need a little renovation to bring them back to their former glory.
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Gençay is situated in the west of France. It lies slightly to the west of the centre of the Vienne department.
Population: 1,605
Access: By air: Fly to Poitiers with Ryanair. By rail: Take the Eurostar to Paris, then change to a TGV to Poitiers. By road: The town is found from the D741 from Poitiers.
Economy: The economy is rural and agricultural. There is a market every Saturday, and there are twice-monthly fairs.
Interesting fact: The region has a highly acclaimed gastronomy, and Gençay is so proud of this that it supplies recipes for its speciality dishes at the tourist office.
